21: Chapter 21. Young Master Fusu is truly the most benevolent person Yu has ever met in his life!

Tattooing, also known as 'Ink Punishment,' involves tattooing or carving characters onto a prisoner's face or other prominent areas and applying ink to create a permanent mark. This punishment not only inflicts physical pain but, more importantly, causes immense insult to the prisoner's dignity and reputation.

Nose Cutting: This involves cutting off the prisoner's nose. It is a more severe form of corporal punishment that not only ruins the prisoner's facial appearance but may also affect their breathing and sense of smell.

Foot Amputation: This refers to cutting off a prisoner's feet or kneecaps. This punishment causes the prisoner to lose the ability to walk, severely impacting their quality of life and social activity. The famous military strategist Sun Bin lost his kneecaps due to this punishment.

Castration: Also known as 'Rotten Punishment,' it is an extremely cruel punishment aimed at depriving a prisoner of their reproductive ability. For men, it means emasculation; for women, it involves confinement or sterilization.

Wang Xia served as the first Chief Legislator of the Legislative Yuan.

When she was unsure of what her job entailed, Zhao Fusu told her that the qin law was too harsh and needed to be made more lenient.

After a discussion between Zhao Fusu and Wang Xia, corporal punishment was abolished and replaced with imprisonment and reform through labor. They then sent someone to inform Li Si.

Li Si and Feng Quji included the notice of the abolition of corporal punishment into the general announcement.

The announcement would not only be posted in Xianyang City, but specific officials would be responsible for dispatching Qin Officials to various commanderies and counties to deliver the notice.

"Brother Fan."

Xiang Liang looked at Fan Zeng, his expression quite grim.

"Brother Xiang."

Fan Zeng also called out.

They spoke no further; everything was understood in silence.

Abolition of corvée labor.

Abolition of corporal punishment.

Once these policies benefiting the people of Qin were issued, the commoners throughout the nation would dance with joy.

How then could they raise the banner of the Tyrannical Qin to start an uprising!

"Young Master Fusu is truly the most benevolent person Yu has ever seen in his life!"

Xiang Yu's political mind was not as sharp as Fan Zeng's or Xiang Liang's, so he did not see as many underlying problems.

Xiang Yu felt that these policies benefiting the people must have been proposed by Fusu; only Fusu would be so benevolent.

Xiang Yu rarely admired anyone.

But regarding Fusu's benevolence, he truly felt admiration.

Xiang Yu was an extremely proud and aloof individual.

Therefore, he appreciated the similarly aloof Fusu from the bottom of his heart.

"Yuer, you!"

Xiang Liang looked at Xiang Yu with frustration, constantly grumbling in his heart, 'Dammit, whose side are you on anyway?'

The reason he and Xiang Yu had joined Fusu's Hall of Worthies in the past was to gather more intelligence on the Great Qin Empire, not because they truly intended to work for Fusu.

"Let's go!"

After reading the contents of the announcement, Xiang Liang and Fan Zeng lingered no longer and pulled Xiang Yu away.

They were originally supposed to leave Xianyang City yesterday to go to the Chu Region and gather their old followers. However, the large number of Qin Army troops entering Xianyang City forced Xiang Liang and Fan Zeng to abandon their plans of leaving.

They had come out today to scout what had happened in Xianyang City yesterday.

The military coup forcibly launched by Zhao Fusu made Fan Zeng and Xiang Liang feel uneasy.

According to Fan Zeng and Xiang Liang's estimates, once the First Emperor died, Qin would erupt in rebellion, and at that time, they would also rise up.

But the implementation of these policies by Zhao Fusu would change the world's perception of Great Qin.

What made Xiang Liang and Fan Zeng most uneasy was that they did not know what other policies Zhao Fusu would issue.

What impact would these policies of his have on the Great Qin Empire?

Therefore, after exchanging glances, Xiang Liang and Fan Zeng both gave up on the idea of leaving Xianyang.

With the current situation unclear, it was not advisable for them to expose themselves so soon.

Xianyang City Commandery Office

The Governor of Xianyang City looked at the dozen or so people kneeling below.

These people were wearing tattered clothes, their bodies were very thin, and their complexions were sallow.

They knelt in the hall, trembling.

Only the person kneeling at the very front, a youth around eighteen or nineteen years old, remained steady.

He had a face full of defiance, remaining unfazed even in the presence of the governor.

He was also very thin, but he had a large frame, and a sharp light flickered in his eyes.

One could tell at a glance that this person was no ordinary man.

His name was Ying Bu. He was not from Xianyang, nor was he from the state of Qin; he came from the Six Lands.

After reaching adulthood, he was required to perform corvée labor. Along with people from his village, he was brought by the Qin Army to Mount Li to build the tomb for the First Emperor.

After they finished their corvée labor, they thought that since they were already in Xianyang, they wanted to go and wander around the city.

Xianyang City was very prosperous.

There were many things they wanted to buy and many things they wanted to eat.

But they had no money and could only stare blankly.

By nightfall, their hunger became truly unbearable, so they secretly sneaked into the backyard kitchen of a wealthy family to steal some food.

As a result, they didn't manage to steal any food but were caught by the family's guards and handed over to the Xianyang City prison.

Ying Bu and his group were originally scheduled to be sentenced yesterday.

But yesterday, Zhao Fusu led the army into Xianyang City, leaving the Governor of Xianyang City no time for sentencing. Therefore, it wasn't until today that Ying Bu and his group were sentenced.

The Governor of Xianyang City said, "You dozen or so people are lucky. It just so happens that the Chancellor has abolished corporal punishment, so no characters will be carved onto your faces!"

"You will go to Mount Li to build the tomb for three months as reform through labor."

"Don't steal things again in the future."

"Yes, My Lord!"

Hearing this, Ying Bu and his fellow villagers all breathed a sigh of relief.

They were all still youths.

In this era, only those who committed crimes would have characters carved on their faces.

If their faces were carved, they would have to endure the ridicule of others for the rest of their lives.

Ying Bu and the dozen or so people from his village were sent back to Mount Li to build the tomb.

Fortunately, they only needed to perform three months of labor.

When they arrived, it happened to be mealtime.

"Line up, everyone line up!"

Qin soldiers holding bronze halberds were maintaining order.

Ying Bu and the others hadn't eaten for two days.

They immediately went to join the line.

When they saw the food the Qin Army was about to give them, they were all stunned.

Not only was there millet porridge!

There was also bean leaf lump soup and flatbread!

When did corvée labor ever have such good food?

They could hardly believe it as they received their food.

"If you're not full, you can come back for another portion!"

The Qin soldier distributing the food shouted.

These people were doing heavy physical labor, and their appetites were large.

Many who had finished eating started lining up again.

Ying Bu and his fellow villagers still found it hard to believe after receiving so much food.

"Those who have received their food, leave quickly. Don't delay the people behind you."

The Qin soldiers maintaining order shouted.

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Ying Bu left with a silly grin.

"Ying Bu, you guys are back!"

A young man about the same age as Ying Bu, also followed by a group of people, called out to him.

"Ji Bu!"

The two were not only similar in age but also had similar names, so they had a very good relationship.

"We were caught stealing in Xianyang City and sent here for reform through labor."

Ying Bu said with some lingering fear, "Fortunately, some Chancellor abolished the Tattooing Punishment; otherwise, they would have carved characters on our faces!"

"It was also the Chancellor who ordered that those of us performing corvée labor should eat three meals a day and be able to eat our fill every time!"

Ji Bu said.

"What kind of person is the Chancellor?"

Ying Bu asked curiously.